Hillcrest High Teacher Arrested For Sexual Abuse Of A Child

TUSCALOOSA, AL — A teacher at Hillcrest High School has been charged with sexual abuse of a child under 12 and first-degree sodomy after being arrested on Thursday.

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Captain Jack Kennedy, commander of the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit, told local media on Saturday that the arrest came after the VCU Sexual Assault Section received a report of a juvenile sexual assault.

Kennedy said a former juvenile household member of Edward Stanley Kramarczyk, 53, told police that she had been sexually abused by him in the past year. Kramarczyk was booked on the two felony charges and is being held without a bond in the Tuscaloosa County Jail pending a court appearance.

He went on to say that enough evidence was gathered by Thursday to charge Kramarczyk with several offenses, but more charges are possible.

Kennedy explained that, at the time of Kramarczyk's arrest, he was a teacher at Hillcrest High School and the Tuscaloosa County School System was notified immediately after the initial report.

TCSS said in a statement that Kramarczyk is a career technical education teacher at Hillcrest High School and is new to the system this year.

"The charges do not stem from anything that occurred at school," TCSS Superintendent Keri Johnson said. "Any further information that would be released regarding this investigation would come from law enforcement. "Under Alabama law, the Superintendent may place an employee on administrative leave pending a criminal investigation. However, we cannot legally share information on personnel matters of any one individual employee."

Again, while the charges do not stem from anything that happened at school, it is very concerning anytime a school employee is involved in a criminal investigation. Please know the safety of our students is our highest priority. Please contact us directly with any questions or concerns you may have.

Kennedy did say that the victim in the case was not a student in the Hillcrest High school zone.

Still, investigators noted that Kramarczyk had access to children through his occupation as a teacher and the fact that he had been a foster parent in the past, along with having access to children through other social groups.

Kennedy said VCU investigators, TCSS and the Alabama Department of Human Resources are following up with Kramarczyk’s past in an effort to learn if there are any other victims.

Kennedy then said that due to the nature of this crime and the known proclivities of certain offenders, the Violent Crimes Unit encourages anyone who may have been a victim or knows of any possible abuse by Kramarczyk to contact investigators at (205) 464-8690.

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